TOMSK, April 27 (RIA Novosti) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday her country was looking to strengthen ties with Russia in energy and other key economic sectors.
Addressing a Russian-German business forum in the Siberian city of Tomsk, Merkel said Germany regarded fossil fuels as Russia's most important export, but that her country was also interested in expanding cooperation in areas including logistics, infrastructure, aircraft and car manufacturing, and banking.
She said Germany was a major trade partner for Russia, and that commercial turnover between the two countries had increased 24% year-on-year to $39 billion in 2005.
Energy is dominating the agenda of Merkel's current talks with President Vladimir Putin in Tomsk. Germany is heavily dependent on Russia for energy supplies, with one-third of its natural gas needs covered by Russian imports.
